Different Circumstances
by Nea-Nyx
Summary: Luffy grew up with Dragon. He shared only a short time with Ace and Sabo but became brothers all the same. He trained under Garp. He set out from Grandline to East Blue gathering his crew along the way. Let's see what the world thinks of that. T for language other than that this is pretty much a K.
1. Prologue

"Everything's NO GOOD to you!" Luffy shouted at his father, haki fluctuating and knocking out some new recruits scattered about before turning on his heel and running to his room petulantly grumbling all the while.

The boy slammed his door closed before tossing his stuffed bunny Iva gave him on the floor in anger. Stomping over to his bed, he tossed himself on it with a grunt.

"'You can't go out Luffy, it's too dangerous…'" the boy mocked copied his father with a pout glaring at his door. "'Pull up your hood Luffy, you can't let anyone see your face…'" he mocked again sitting up and adapting the serious scowl his father usually wore. "'Luffy, swords are dangerous, maybe next time when you're **older**!'" he shouted out in mock as he felt his father near his room. " **ALWAYS, always,** always, _'when you're older'_ … I'm already seven, dad!" he shouted and stormed to his door and wrenched it open, pulling it out its hinges.

Unperturbed by the door hanging from his small arms, he let it go to fall on his floor. "I've seen children younger than me handle knives and guns! Why can't I?" he asked in a pleading voice.

"You know why Luffy, those children are holding weapons to kill. They do it because they are consumed with hatred. And hatred only ever brings about unneeded bloodshed." His father told him, lowering his towering body to his knees and brought the boy in a tight embrace. "We fight to protect Luffy, not to avenge." He murmured to his son's ear making the boy tense.

"But Milly and George…" the boy murmured shakily.

"They wouldn't have wanted you to kill for their deaths, they gave it to save you son. Weapons are mere tools to kill. We grow strong to make it so that the weak never seek them again. Do you understand?" the man said softly as the boy nodded against his chest, tears and snot flowing uncontrollably.

Sighing, Dragon looked at his son. The boy needed a childhood; one that isn't in the middle of war. There was one person that could the boy a peaceful home and grew strong at the same time although, the man's character was never really one of his selling points.

Heaving a deep resigned sigh, dragon picked up his now sleeping son and placed him onto his bed.

"I guess it's time you meet your grandfather…" the man said softly against the boy's forehead as he kissed Luffy goodnight.

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 **Disclaimer: I disclaim any ownership over 'One Piece' and any of its merchandise. This is a FanFiction, created purely for the enjoyment of myself and perhaps others who read it.**

 **A/N: [smiles innocently] Ta-Da!**


	2. The Grandson

Thuds, groans and gruff laughter echoes through the boat that morning; the reason, Garp's going on vacation. Such vacations are rare for the man that he expresses his happiness with his fist of love to his crew. Even if in truth he just had his vacation a week ago.

Those who are strong enough to block are fortunate enough to be excused after that one punch those who can't unfortunately has to try again and again till they can at least dodge the man's fist cleanly. Of which was probably harder than actually blocking it.

The little spar continued till they were on the waters of East Blue. It continues on till mist covered the ship and ominous clouds appeared in the sky.

Garp, being the callous man that he is just picked his nose as a page explains that the weather was abnormal according to the navigating team.

"And so?" the man asked, flicking his booger over to an unfortunate trainee.

The page sputtered as he looked incredulously at his commanding officer. He really can't handle the man, despite already being on his ship for half a year. Straightening his back and gulping down his fear, he repeated the message he delivered, this time with voice hard befitting that of a marine.

Grinning, Garp patted the man on the shoulder and shrugged. "Meh, we've seen worse…" he said flippantly.

"This is the BLUES sir! It's unusual for the weather to suddenly turn for the worse this quickly in these waters!" the page snapped, an angry tick throbbing on his forehead as he shouted at the man who looked at him wide-eyed, surprised at the outburst.

"Oh…" was the marine hero's simple reply.

Before the page could explode into possibly colorful language, that could get him suspended if his superior were not Garp, the waters stilled. The wind died and the ship slowed to a stop.

The air seemed still. Silence embraced the whole ship. The only noises were the ship's creak and the breaths of the crew. Everything seemed wrong and Garp knew that this was a dangerous for them. What to do in this situation was ingrained in him, almost already a stimulus and yet, and yet his body won't move. His mind understands that it was a dangerous situation yet his heart told him it was not.

Something rippled through the air. He recognizes this sensation. It was, haki; haki that he knew nonetheless.

A grin broke out through his face. He can't help but be proud at his idiot of a son. Haki was hard enough to utilize and sent out in a wave even so, his son managed to control it as a ripple through the air, calibrating his haki into specific amounts enough to knock each of his crew out without causing unnecessary effect to the weaker ones.

His boy would've made fleet admiral if he wasn't so hell bent on changing the world. He can't say he didn't approve of the boy's ideals. He let the boy go early on when he told him to his face that the marines are corrupting the world by ignoring the rotten root that is slowly destroying the world.

" _I'll destroy the tenryuubito… it's the only way to bring upon a new dawn to the darkening world. I am leaving, father."_ Those words brought a chill down his spine as the boy spoke them. And he was but a fifteen year old boy then! He can't say it out loud but everyone damn well knew he was proud of his son.

"Dragon." He said simply and the air shifted as a figure stood a few feet from him.

"Father." The man said freezing Garp's heart before it pounded in his chest as the meaning of the word rang in his ears. Garp felt his eyes water. Here before him, wasn't the most wanted man in the world.

This man standing before him is his son.

"Son." He replied with a soft smile as the figure startle at the reply. "What is it? I'm on a vacation right now for your information. I've only got a week minus the travel time, but still I've only seven short days. So get on with it." he said with light and amused tone, breaking the heavy silence between them.

The figure seemed to shift his feet before a hand emerged from the cloak he was wearing and tugged off his hood down to reveal his tattooed face that was relaxed from his usual scowl. He looked up at the marine as he let his hand drop to his side before shifting his eyes down to his side and reaching out a hand. A small mitten-covered hand reached out and gripped his hand earning flabbergasted sputtering from the old marine.

Luffy shuffled closer to his father, emerging from the cover of the man's cloak to stand by his side clutching at the callused hand of his father with his left hand and clutched at the man's cloak with his right.

Luffy didn't know the man his father was entrusting with despite the fact that he knew this man was his grandfather. They have agreed that Luffy would go with his grandfather till he can go home on his own. It was a little unfair deal but Luffy wanted to prove himself to his father and if going with the old man would make him stronger then he didn't mind if it would take years before he could actually go home.

Taking a deep breath, he gripped his father's hand tightly one last time and looked up to his face before hugging the man's cloaked leg tight then let go. He turned then to the still gaping marine and took a step towards the man. A hand tugged him back till his face was buried into his father's cloaked chest and was enveloped in the man's arms.

"I'll always be watching over you. I love you Luffy. Be safe." The man murmured into his hair and Luffy nodded as tears fell from his eyes and his nose started to run.

Dragon stood with the boy in his arms and walked to his father. He looked every bit of a wrecked father who didn't want to let go of his son but he knew this was for the better and slowly juggled the sniffling child towards the old man who can't help but extend his arms to receive the bundle that was possibly his grandchild.

"He's my son, Luffy. I couldn't tell you, information could be compromised. He needs to be away from war. Please father, take care of him." Dragon pleaded.

Garp could do no more than nod and look down to the child who fell asleep in his arms. "Thank you." He said to his son. Grateful that the man still trusts him enough to leave his child to him.

"Please, just… take good care of him." Dragon said caressing his son's cheek softly and placing a kiss on top of his head before turning to leave, vanishing into the shadows.

Slowly, the skies cleared and the wind returned. The sails caught wind and off they go to the island where he was born; Dawn Island in the small almost unnoticeable village of Foosha.

Garp looked down onto the red fur-lined hooded cloak coated child in his arms fondly and smiled softly before frowning. "Wait, he said you're a _**son**_?"

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 **A/N: Thank you for reading.**


	3. The Grandfather

Luffy awoke to the smell of food. Sitting up, he found that he was in an unfamiliar room, one that is still a ship it seems, as he smells the salt in the air still. Not to mention the rocking he felt. Looking down on himself, he noticed he was out of his coat and was down to his black shirt and red cardigan and his black dyed jeans.

Looking around, he perused the room that seemed more like a homey apartment rather than a simple room in a marine battle ship. Reaching out with his haki, he checked his surroundings instinctively, he found he was alone and the old man was nowhere near him. Though, he was still on the ship when he widened his range and found the man eating on the deck, punching people.

Luffy cocked his head a little in question. He wondered why his grandfather was beating his crew to the ground. Shrugging, he stood and approached the table full of food.

Three blinks later, he was tossing the toothpick he used onto one of the many plates he finished. Hunger satisfied for the moment, he decided to pay the old man a visit and get to know him; he is staying with the man till who knows when.

Standing from his seat he searched for his coat only to find it was gone. Panicked, he turned the room upside down and still couldn't find the red fluffy coat. He was about to throw a tantrum when he remembered the old man could know where it was.

Quickly, he rushed out to the deck uncaring of the door he yet again unhinged from his emotional outburst.

"Ji-chan!" Luffy shouted, tears already falling down his cheeks.

The man turned wide eyed at him, still holding a trainee by the collar. "Luffy!" the man exclaimed dropping the tearful marine on the floor to turn fully to his distressed grandson. "What is it?" he asked, picking up the child who runs to him unhesitatingly this time around.

"My coat! It's gone! I can't find it!" Luffy sobbed as he clung onto Garp's shirt tightly. "It was mommy's only gift to me! And I lost it!" he bawled, tears and snot dirtying his face.

Garp froze; he had the abomination be sent to the incinerator the moment it was removed from his **grandson**. Seeking Bogart's eyes for help the man seemed to sigh and turn on his heel to do as the Vice Admiral pleaded.

"Don't worry Luffy, it's somewhere in the ship, we'll find it soon enough." he soothed and felt the child look up at him, snot dripping and all, with hope filled eyes. "Yes, I promise." He answered the unsaid question with a smile, feeling a sense of dread settle in the bottom of his stomach on the implications of the boy's words and his almost destroying the most likely, one and only thing his grandson's mother gave to the boy.

He looked up sharply when he felt Bogart return, with the slightly smoked yet still in one piece coat in hand. Swallowing a sigh of relief he signaled the man to have the coat washed and brought to him later. Looking down on the already calming boy who wiped his snot and tears with his arms, he smiled, relieved; it seems his grandson was a boy despite the coat. Shifting him slightly to earn his attention, the boy looked up; eyes a little red from his tears but now dry.

"Care for a little spar?" Garp asked the boy whose eyes immediately twinkled in challenge and nodded sharply before escaping the man's embrace to put distance between them.

Luffy braced himself posturing into his usual style. He watched the man closely and he him. Both knew that despite it being just a spar there was something they wanted out of the fight. Garp, who wants to measure what the boy could do and Luffy to at least land a solid hit against the man and earn a little respect.

Garp blinked at the boy already in his stance and let out a fond laugh. Slowly, his face transformed, turning stern as he shifted himself into a stance. Barely a second passed and the boy launched himself to him, punches thrown full strength.

Just five seconds into the match, the old marine was already grinning proudly at the boy's potential. His fists were heavy, enough to send a marine captain to his knees at a single punch, not to mention deal serious deep bruises to the skin, armament haki or no. The speed the kid possess mirrors the speed of Soru but have completely different fundamentals. He knew both armament and observance haki, Garp was pretty sure he could use the Conqueror's as well what with their excellent genes and all.

The exchange ended quickly in just mere three minutes with the boy breathing heavily while Garp was sweating and the crew gaping. And then they were off again.

'Monsters breed true' the crew thought as one as they watched Luffy dodge punch after punch of the man and flip in the air kicking off in a right leg geppo to avoid another punch to land a good distance away from the vice admiral.

The two stared the other down, electricity crackling between them. A minute into the stare down, the two tensed as one and launched at the other yet again.

" **FOOD'S READY!** "

Abruptly, the two stopped. Garp with his fist mere millimeter from the boy's face and the boy's haki coated left leg millimeters from the man's neck. As one, the two lowered their limbs and turn towards the galley.

" **FOOD!** " The two chorused, trailing after the delicious smell.

Half the crew got concussions and the other half walked around with a red palm-shaped imprint on their faces that day.

'Yeah, these two are related…' everyone concluded, any doubts on the boy's identity gone.

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.

Luffy looked down on the coat that is the one and only memento his mother left him. It's safe enough, clean as well as he smelt a citrus soapy smell from it. What had the little raven unusually quiet was that the coat now has a glaring tear right in the middle of the coat.

Yes, of course it could be repaired if the tear was only on the front. Unfortunately enough, the tear is on the front _**and**_ back of the coat.

Bogart, a man whom his grandfather seems to trust like a first mate, explained that it was damaged when a handful of pirates that they encountered managed to slip onboard and wreak havoc around the ship as the whole crew was too busy destroying the pirate's ship and Garp was too ecstatic on having a small exercise when his own crew couldn't give him a challenge to pay much attention to his own ship which was safe save for the small vandalism the five some pirates that got onboard did.

It didn't really matter to the young Luffy on **how** the coat was destroyed, just that it **is** destroyed.

Unblinkingly he looked down on the coat in his hands and suddenly, tears formed and flowed down silently his cheeks. Then slowly, hiccoughs escaped him. Before finally waterfall of tears spurted from his eyes and wails echoed through the deck, deafening most of the crew.

Garp was at a loss on what to do, Dragon, his son wasn't much of a trouble to care for when he was young and thus he didn't know on how to calm the boy who was hysterically crying in the middle of the deck as he clutched the ruined garment in his hands. Thankfully though, Bogart has ten little brothers and sisters and twenty some nephews that he knew how to care for a bit better than most mothers he would say.

The man went to the bawling child and kneeled in front of him to level their eyes and said softly. "It may not be able to be repaired to its original state but I can have someone turn this into different clothing. It'll look a little different but they'll still be cut from the same cloth."

Luffy looked up to the man's eyes, barely seeing through the welling tears in his eyes. He sniffled, and extended the ruined cloth in his hand out to survey it. He knew it was a girl's coat, but it was the only thing that his mother had bought with him in mind, well him in her belly thinking of him as a she.

She couldn't afford more. She was a person that was in a position in where a child with a man whose head is the most priced in the whole world would mean her death. So she let herself be 'kidnapped' taken from her home by the notorious revolutionist 'Dragon' and carried the child to term.

Unfortunately, she had to go back, to a place of which her family thought of as home. A place of where the expensive marbled floor and walls felt like the cold filthy stone floors and walls of a prison.

Despite never having had met her personally though, Luffy knew all there is about his mother, his father never neglected on telling him stories of most insignificant thing about her. Along with them was the story of how she risked being seen by the government agents as she went out and bought the coat she thought was perfect for her little 'girl'; the coat that she had risked her life for to gift her precious child.

The coat that now is almost in two halves.

Luffy sniffed his dangling snot back and dried his eyes with the sleeves of his shirt and clutched the coat in his hand in second thought. This man was someone to be trusted but he didn't know what to feel knowing that the coat will be away from him to someplace he didn't know where. He knows as well that this was the only way to save his coat.

He eyed the man and then the coat, bringing it into an embrace before handing it gently to the marine. He gave his trust to the man, looking into the other's eyes and trying to convey his trust and received a nod and a smile of understanding. Nodding seriously to the man, he straightened and adapted his most serious face. "I'm en..enti-cing? You with my coat."

"Entrusting…" Garp coughed out in correction discreetly from behind the boy.

"Yeah, what Jii-chan said." Luffy nodded in agreement; face not breaking from his serious look.

Bogart can't help but admire the boy despite the hilarity in his words; he knew that this boy was seven, an age where such a word as 'entrust' or even the meaning of it was lost in favor of playing games and exchanging meaningless banter. But this boy knows true 'trust' and somehow, he felt as if earning this boy's trust would be a privilege to have.

Adapting his own no-bullshit face, Bogart gave a nod and accepted the bundle of cloth delicately, as if accepting a dire duty. Smoothly, he stood swiftly and gave a nod to his commanding officer then back to the boy and then turned on his heel towards his room to transform the coat into something that Luffy could wear well into adulthood, plans already brewing in his head on how to reinforce the material so as not to have it fade or wear too quickly.

The boy deserved no less than the best craftsmanship that the world offers, and as a former heir to the biggest clothing provider in the world, his pride would allow no less than to make the coat his best masterpiece yet.

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.

.

With a shout of absolute thrill, Luffy jumped off the deck of the ship down onto the dirt path of the harbor below completely missing the wooden dock and jumped right around to the people who had come to welcome them. Garp followed with a laugh tinged in happiness, a tone that not many were familiar with, all except of course the caned old mayor of the town.

"What're you doing here again you brute? Don't you have any job to do in that office of yours?" the old man greeted grumpily yet with a small fond smile tugging at his lips.

Giving his signature laugh at the usual greeting, Garp merely gave a wide smile and tugged the still bouncing Luffy by the scruff and lifted him up towards the old mayor. "Mah, just showing the runt his grandfather's hometown." The man proclaimed with a proud grin.

Smiling, Woodslap caught his nod as his smile turned flat and gaped at the grinning marine.

" **Grandfather?"** the man chorused the crowd that had also fallen into disbelief at the casual way the marine hero dropped the news.

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 **A/N: Thank you to everyone who reviewed… I am sorry for the slow update, catching up in life doesn't really sound much of an excuse when writing is a big part of myself as well and neglecting it seems like bad etiquette as a proclaiming writer. In any case, I'll try to update sooner, and hope that I'm not straying too far from the character's behavior from canon.**

 **I'm really happy that you guys think this is a good story, I hope you continue to support me and the story.**

 **I'll be seeing you next update which I hopefully will get to soon.**


	4. The Wrong Way!

Luffy dangled from the old man's hold with unwavering smile before shaking himself off and running off to terrorize, err, help the few marines tasked to resupply and maintain the ship.

Garp's eyes trailed after him fondly before turning back to the gaping crowd, with now mostly a few elders and the old mayor as its member. Sharing only a look, Woop Slap and him exchanged a look of understanding. Luffy was to be a secret to the marines, his own men already knew to keep their mouth shut and the mayor understood that the information was to remain within the village and no more.

Woop Slap shook his head, shoulders hunching just a little lower as he heave a deep sigh. "How long are you staying?" the man asked with a flat resigned voice.

Garp beamed at the man. "Not long! Not long! Just a week at most… I just have some business near here." the man said casually before moving for the only bar in the entirety of the Foosha village. "I'm just gonna get some booze and then I'm off to do just that." He tossed to the village elder flippantly as he went on his way. "Play nice with the boys; we have a few new recruits that needs breaking in, why not give them the honors?" he followed up turning slightly to grin at the old man before looking up and bellowing for his grandchild. "Luffy! We're leaving! Come on!" he bellowed, oblivious to some falling over civilians and flinching marines with his volume.

"OKAY!" bellowed the raven back, jumping off the back of a broad backed marine that was lugging two large barrels at each arm. Making his way swiftly through the crowds of both marines and merchants alike he grabbed himself an apple and swig of ale from a sample a merchant was advertising to the men.

Spotting his big granpa easily, he jumped up and perched himself on the man's shoulders smoothly as he bit into his suddenly peeled apple.

Garp hummed as he saw what the boy did to the apple. "Haki?" he asked casually as he walked on, unperturbed by the boy perched on his shoulders.

"Yep!" the boy answered, throwing the now pencil lead thin apple core into a nearby trash bin grinning widely as he started his story excitedly. "Milly thought me how to re-re-find?"

"Refine…" Garp corrected absently.

Luffy nodded and continued unblinking by the correction. "Yeah, that… 'Refine' Haki into a small blade, she said it was useful in getting out of binds when you're captured." He narrated, feeling a little nostalgic and melancholy at the memory of his friend.

"Well, she's a crafty girl that Milly! I'll have to thank her for taking care of you someday!" Garp laughed merrily as he walked on.

"She's gone though… shot dead." Luffy voiced out a little softer than his usual voice, leaning his chin onto his folded hands placed on the old man's hair.

Garp hummed. "There are ways to thank them still even with them not being around anymore." He said, voice going softer as well. The two were silent throughout their trip to the bar; both contemplating on what the other said.

Luffy found truth in what the man said and Garp found reality in the boy's truth. And just by a little bit, both grew wiser with that.

Finding the silence stifling, Garp announced his arrival at the bar with a loud banging of the salon door to the wall. Several jumped at the loud noise but most of the occupants just whipped their heads towards the door at his arrival.

Garp's grin slipped slowly as his eyes opened and assessed the people he's looking at.

"Pirates!" Luffy exclaimed jumping off of his grandfather's shoulders with a gleeful sound and landing with a soft thud on the wooden floor. "I've never seen them so up close!" he beamed and looked around the frozen men before settling his eyes on a red headed man with a clawed like scar on his face. "Oh! It's Shanks! Red haired Shanks! How's your left leg? How'd you managed a draw with Mihawk with a broken leg? Are you guys vacationing here? What's it like being a crew member of the late pirate king? Was it true that despite being a superstitious man, Gol Roger actually accepted a woman as the ship's doctor? And that the doctor was left back in her home island when she conceived Roger's son? And that even now you're searching for the kid despite not knowing if it's a she or a he? Oh also are you gay?" Luffy asked in a fast rant stepping closer and closer to the man till he was sitting on his lap, eyes twinkling as he awaited the man's answer.

The man stared at the boy unsure of what he felt. His face was changing from indignant to suspicion to melancholy before settling to shock.

"I AM NOT GAY!" shanks bellowed at the boy teeth bared, expression highly offended. "I am BI, Bisexual, loving of both men and women." He said expression shifted into that of schooling adult.

The restaurant was silent as a grave, despite the crew wanting to laugh. They felt absolutely nervous when the marine hero was standing by the only exit in sight. They didn't really want to smash the windows despite having the money to compensate, they felt bad enough for the owner for owning the only bar in this side of the island that attracts more than needed trouble.

"Out of all that, you picked the most preposterous question to answer." Garp sighed out and stepped further into the bar. "What are you doing here brat?" he asked, moving towards the bar and nodding to Makino to bring out his usual.

Makino nodded, a small practiced smile placed upon her face over the apprehension she felt. She went about getting what was asked of her and made herself scarce from the front, going to the back to bring out the hard liquor the old marine prefers.

Shanks grinned, a shadow of his usual ones but still a grin. "The waters and wind sailed me here, can't say there's anywhere I'd want to be with a busted leg." He tried jesting but his tone almost fell flat. "Why aren't you arresting me?" he asked, leaning himself against the counter top, unconsciously supporting the raven boy as he slid a little down the man's lap.

"It's fine as long as I'm the highest commanding officer around for miles. I did promise Roger I'd spare his crew, and even with you waving your own flag, you're a part of it still too." Garp said as he reached for Luffy and hefted the boy up when he raised his arms to be lifted.

"Do you…" the old marine trailed, face slacking seemingly aging a few years right before their eyes. "…want to see the child?" he continued, not bothering with arranging the boy in his arms as the child maneuvered himself up onto his shoulders yet again.

Shanks couldn't figure what to feel. He'd been searching, thinking optimistically, whimsically really, that his former captain's child would be crossing their path in one way or the other just like his father did. He'd be wearing that big goofy grin the pirate king wore that shanks tried hard to never forget. He'd be spouting out unrealistic nonsense but somehow lulling you to believe. Or maybe the child was a girl, and she'd be beautiful despite having his father's face she'd be the epitome of grace and poise very alike her mother.

He couldn't utter a word. But tears did fell from his eyes.

Shanks had owed everything that he has, all that he is, to Roger that the guilt of not being able to protect his son eats out at him day after day. He smiles, he laughs, he fights, pushing on to be an even greater pirate than he is already. Still, at the end of the day he'd use any excuse he could to have the rum out and drink himself asleep.

"…yes…" the word sounded heavy, with emotions that the redhead had hidden for years. He didn't choke, and didn't sob. But his now dry tears were enough for his crew to fell in solemn silence.

Garp nodded and looked to the counter, seeing the boxes of sake bottles stacked on it and looked up to lock eyes with Makino. "I'll have someone come by later to pick them up and for the payment…" he said moving towards the boxes and plucking out a single big bottle from the stack jiggling the other bottles as their clicking rang in the dead silence of the room.

Makino simply nodded and watched as the old marine, the redhead pirate and the bouncing child left through the her salon door. She noticed none of the others stood to follow and figured, this was something personal to their captain. And so, they all watched the two men and child left, letting out a sigh as their form disappeared completely.

"Anyone wants refills?" the woman asked with a small smile and received awkward nods and a few thankful nods.

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 **oOo**

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Luffy walked behind the two men, not really liking the sudden tense air around them. He recognized the sensation when his father did 'business' with other people and decided to extract his self from the scene and instead walk ahead practicing his haki.

Luffy played with his armament haki. He coated one nail, dropped the coating, then moved to the next nail. It's one of the control exercises that Milly thought him to use.

" _It's useful when you're undercover and that somehow you got yourself captured. You use very minimal haki that the enemy would have to be pretty sensitive to notice."_ Luffy recalled and smile at the memory. The last lesson his haki tutor has imparted with him.

Thoughts of the barely five feet woman, had Luffy thinking of his other guardian. George, is a burly large man that towered at six feet and eight inches. He is the definition of a kind giant, but is definitely not a push over. George, despite his appearances was first and formerly a scholar. He was Luffy's tutor in Academics, which Milly joins Luffy as a student under the man.

Luffy snickered as he remembered that he barely got along with the man most of the time. Understandable as most the time the two spent together was spent going over books and oral exercises. Though outside them they get along swimmingly, unless of course it was meal time. The two were the worst of rivals in consuming the most food.

Soon enough, Luffy grew bored of his little exercise, having had done all the pattern he knew to alternate coating his nails. Absently, he pocketed his hand and felt a cylindrical object in it. Taking it out, he looked at the object in his hand in nostalgia. It was a pill bottle he used as a container of tooth picks. He and George often gotten meat stuck in their teeth that the three of them brought soe with them wherever they went out.

The emotions that the bottle stirred in him almost made him stumble. Luffy shook his head and felt his lips tug into a watery smile. Gripping the bottle, he took out a few and rolled them around his palm. They were simple wooden sticks that will forever hold a memory of his friends.

Straightening his back, Luffy felt his smile turn into a grin and slowly, he coated the toothpicks with haki and wondered what would be a good target that would be hard to hit. They were in the middle of the mountain, there were only trees around as targets; boring as they are, the boy skipped them. He then decided that his grandfather would be the perfect target. It's not like he could kill the man with toothpicks, he'd need something longer and thicker than that.

Luffy narrowed his eyes and assessed where would be a best spot to catch his target off guard, unaware that the man already felt his trickling intent. Deciding that the back of the neck is a blind enough spot, Luffy threw one coated stick and bit his tongue as it was deflected by the sudden haki coating on the back of the old man's head. He waited a few more moments for the reprimand to come, but none came. Playing with another stick as he played with the idea of throwing a second one, Luffy startled a little at the brief inquiring glance his grandfather tossed him.

" _That it?" was what that look said._ Luffy thought with a gritted teeth.

Coating four sticks he flicked them at three in different direction. One, again, aimed at the back of the neck, another in the middle of the back and the last two was one in front of the other aimed for the man's buttocks.

Easily enough, as Luffy expected, the three were easily deflected while the phantom one almost hit its target if not for the red haired pirate who snickered and alerted the target who turned and caught the stick with his fingers.

"Not bad for a brat." Garp grinned widely before sweeping the boy by the scruff of his shirt and hauled Luffy over his shoulder like a sack of rice ignoring the child's protests. "Now, no more tricks, we have plenty of time for that in training." He said continuing his steps.

A few more minutes of the awkward silence had Luffy fidgeting in his place atop his grandfather's shoulder. He's been sneaking looks towards the red haired pirate to pass time, and even if the man was more relaxed now than earlier, it gets boring staring at a blank face after a while.

"Are we there yet? I'm bored! Nah, ji-chan, lemme down already!" Luffy whined and struggled atop the marine's shoulders and received a rough jostle and a bark of laughter.

"We're almost there!" he bellowed before asking in faux suspicion. "If I put you down, will my ass be safe from flying toothpicks?"

Luffy would have rolled his eyes is he were one to do so, but instead he nodded vigorously and squirmed from his perch as he shouted his pledge. "I swear in the name of meat!"

The two men stared at the child who squirmed his way to the ground and looked up at them with a proud smile before turning and continuing on their way. Loud barks of laughter broke through the silence before a shout to the boy made the laughter even more unbearable.

"Luffy you're going the opposite way!" the red head Shanks shouted in amusement, the first in the few hours in their company.

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 **A/N: No hating on me please, but I do admit, I've been gone for so long! Well, as an author I guess. I've been reading fanfictions left and right and frankly my lazy bone seemed to influenced me yet again. So sorry for the late update and please do enjoy this chapter.**


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